


Stand Up and Fight

by Gaxxy



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kree (Marvel), Marvel Universe, Pre-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Slavery, Violence, Yondu as a Kree Battle Slave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-01 16:07:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10925316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaxxy/pseuds/Gaxxy
Summary: Yondu Udonta was sold into slavery before he was old enough to remember. Years later, when the Kree come for their property, he has to discover how tough he really is and do it fast. It's either that or die. Yondu's a survivor, and like it or not all this shaped the man, the Ravager, the father, he was going to be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfic I've written in a few years and my first one on this site. Inspired by my rekindled love for Yondu and the revelation that he'd been a battle slave for the Kree before becoming a Ravager.

The dewy grass was cool beneath the pairs of small feet as they ran through the jungle. Bright shafts of early light filtered through the lofty treetops. Young voices laughed and whooped as the group of younglings chased each other. Some jumping from tree to tree, others tackling each other and rolling into play wrestles or dodging around their playmates while practising their whistles. They would be hunters one day and what better way to learn? To hone their skills. 

The oldest boy smirked, his Tahlei glowed bright with excitement as he pounces on one of the girls who let out a giggly shriek and lashed out at him with her feet. She caught him in the stomach harder than intended, knocking the air from his lungs, sending him rolling off of her with spluttering wheezes. Before he managed to haphazardly recover he felt a weight upon his back, forcing his bare chest against the cool damp grass and he felt the air escape again through a frustrated groan. 

Even though he couldn’t see her face he practically felt her stupid smirk and proceeded to scowl (which was really more of a pout but he was a big intimidating male and they don’t pout like babes just out of the pouch!) “Looks like I win again Yondu.” Her clicks were almost musical, accompanied by the most mature and pretty whistle out of their group.

“Shut up, Chandra...” Yondu grumbled, swinging his elbow to make her jump off so he could sit back up. Glancing her way, the presence of her wide smirk which showed a sharp canine tooth, was confirmed. Yondu grabbed a small stone and chucked it at Chandra to wipe it off her face. All she did in response was roll away and giggle.

Determined to get his own back, Yondu rose to his feet, body tensed to pounce and initiate another wrestle. Chandra was too busy giggling to notice, this time he’d get her good. He bent his knees and rolled his shoulders but, before he could leap at her, a sharp adult whistles penetrated the jungle. All play froze and the children fell silent, turning to the direction of the village. They hadn’t been in the jungle long and the sun wasn’t high enough for them to be called back for food. Yondu straightened up, suppressing the chill crawling up his spine so the others wouldn’t see him shiver. 

The adult whistled again. A lower trilling sound tinged with warning. Fearing whatever the consequences might be for ignoring it, the children whistled back one by one and started running back. Yondu was the last to whistle his reply, every instinct in his young body telling him to run the other way. He grit his teeth and followed, shaking his head to get rid of how wrong it felt to ignore his instincts. He was Centaurian. They relied on instinct for survival. The adults wouldn’t call them back if there was danger, though.

Yondu tensed up again when he emerged from the jungle’s boundaries. Facing him and the rest of the children were all the adults. Their faces stern and forcibly blank. They all stood back and in front of them were strange beings Yondu hadn’t seen before. Some had blue skin like them but they had no Tahlei. They wore strange clothes, hard and too heavy for the humid heat. Weapons strapped to thighs and waists close to their hands for quick, easy grasp should anything happen. 

He didn’t like them. The way the adults stayed far back from them with clear caution was enough to tell him these strangers were not friendly. “Mama? What’s going on?” Yondu glanced sideways at the kid next to him, Chandra, he noticed, who finally spoke, voice trembling with worry. 

One of the strangers immediately locked his eyes on Chandra, and by proximity Yondu. He spoke in words Yondu couldn’t understand. On instinct he slid in front of her as the stranger strode towards them. He grit his teeth and bristled when his protective display was resolutely ignored. More of the strangers approached, metal clinking intimidatingly in the unnatural heavy silence that hung over the village. Why weren’t the adults stopping them? The silence was broken with a panicked shriek when one of the other boys was grabbed harshly by his Tahlei. The red fin-like protrusion glowing harshly as his legs kicked and flailed uselessly. ‘None should touch your Tahlei unless they’re your mate’ Yondu’s dad had told him.

All at once the others surged into self-preserving action. Trying to run, attack and everything in between. Yondu sank his teeth into an outstretched hand only to find himself flying into the ground when something heavy crashed into his cheek. The taste of metal filled his mouth and one of his teeth flew out amongst globs of blood. Before he could recover Yondu froze, eyes wide as he felt fingers roughly digging into the base of his Tahlei before a heavy boot smashed into his lower back. He was hauled into the air and whirled round to face the lines of adults. 

Yondu’s eyes frantically searched the crowd. Why weren’t they moving? Why were they looking away? Finally he found what he was looking for. His parents, dad’s strong arm around his mother’s shoulders. Both staring at him, expressionless and distant. Feeling his stomach plummet he could no longer hear the chaos as the others were caught and forced to quiet down. Some put up more of a fight but one by one the kids were grabbed and restrained. Yondu felt ropes looping around his wrists and ankles prompting pleading clicks and whistles towards his parents. Help us! Why are you letting them do this?! What did we do wrong?! He was too scared to form the words but the sounds held obvious meaning.

Before he got his answer a strip of leather was forced between his lips, stopping Yondu from making any more noise. Only then did some of the adults move. Rolling along a large hunk of Yaka ore which was taken by the strangers without any grace or gratitude. The village elder stepped forward, wrinkles and sags of flesh where once hard lean muscle had lain looking even deeper than before with the way he stood with a defeated hunch. “Go. You have what you bought, now leave us.”

Yondu’s renewed struggle halted, he fell limp in his captor’s hands. Bought? He just meant the Yaka, he had to. But his brittle hopes were shattered when the stranger carrying him began to turn and didn’t drop him. Yondu sent one last pleading glance at his parents only to see his father’s eyes narrow as he leads his mate, Yondu’s mother, away. 

As the strangers carried Yondu and the other children away towards the giant metal ship which towered above the jungle’s trees, he could hear low mournful whistling from the adults behind him. His parents’ whistles were not among them. The rest of the adults voicing their grief at the loss of their young, but not Yondu’s. 

He couldn’t whistle back in reply. None of them could. Yondu was carried to a cold metal cell and dropped unceremoniously to the floor with the rest of the children, bonds and gags still in place when the door was locked behind them. With the metal clicking of the lock Yondu’s world came crashing down around him. They didn’t care. His parents had sold him, and they didn’t care. He shivered against the freezing floor and curled his back to try and keep some of his body warmth. 

Vaguely he could hear one of the girls nearby tearfully humming through her gag. A familiar tune, one of his favourites of the ones his mother used to sing to him. Only now it didn’t bring comfort or lull him to sleep. He shook, hands curling into fists so tight he could feel blood oozing onto his palms. His stomach knotted and churned at the noise and he wanted to yell at her to shut up.

Yondu tried to, he really did. But through the gag all he could manage was muffled whimpers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tahlei is the official name for the Centaurian head-fin.  
> I hope you guys like this, and any and all feedback is appreciated, thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologise in advance for my cringey attempts at writing dialogue with accents. Let me know if it's too painful and i'll either stop or tone it back to make things easier.
> 
> Also i'm grateful for the positive reaction so far. If anyone has feedback, even criticisms, they're always appreciated!
> 
> Now on with the chapter!

Hours after the others fell asleep Yondu had still been awake. Occupied with his memories, sifting through everything he could remember to try and work out what he’d done wrong. Searching for a reason that justified him being sold. Yeah he got in trouble, wrestling a bit too rough with the younger kids or straying too far. Once he’d even managed to sneak into another village and stolen from their elder … but none of that was too bad was it?

At some point during his reflections Yondu had slipped into an uneasy dreamless sleep, but it hadn’t lasted very long. He and the others were grabbed roughly, more strangers hauling the struggling young Centaurians out of the cell, down long featureless corridors until they reached another room. Similar to the cell but the bars were replaced by see-through panels and tiny holes littered the floor. The ropes around his ankles were sliced off before Yondu’s Tahlei was grabbed and the stranger unceremoniously removed his clothes.

Immediately Yondu reacted, kicking and flailing. Angry feral growls vibrated through his throat only to be silenced by the gag. His foot collided with an armoured shin which sent painful jolts up his leg. The hand on his Tahlei tightened and the stranger snarled warningly in those words Yondu didn’t understand. When his struggles failed to cease he was thrown against the metal wall.

Dazed and winded he didn’t notice the gag being removed or the strangers leaving and locking them inside. Vaguely Yondu was aware of the hand resting on his shoulder, accompanied by Chandra’s worried voice. “Are you okay?”

Before he could respond to her, though, the room was blasted with high pressured liquid. Shrieks of alarm echoed around him as he staggered and fell under the sheer force of it. It looked like water but it smelled and tasted foul, metallic just like everything else here. Yondu’s legs slipped and slid rebelliously as he tried to stand and find some way to shield himself. His mouth and throat burned, making him cough and splutter harshly.

After what felt like an eternity it stopped. Yondu shivered, his whole body aching and convulsing as he retched, spitting out the foul liquid but the taste remained no matter how much he tried to get rid of it. “Urgh… wha’ th’fuck wassat?” Yondu let out a string of harsh coughs, punctuated with groans as he was steadied by one of the younger boys who looked close to throwing up.

Armed men filed into the room, their features completely obscured by metal face guards. Yondu snarled at the sight of them and shoved the boy holding him up away so he could charge at the stranger. Not his best idea but Yondu’s blood was boiling, he could feel the intensity pumping through his veins even as he flew across the floor when the enemy slammed an armoured foot into his stomach.

The Centaurian younglings were herded, naked shivering and scared between three more rooms, each almost indistinguishable from the last.

In the first they were strapped down onto metal slabs. This time the strangers weren’t armoured but they were no kinder. Jabbing needles into necks, yanking on their Tahleis if they refused to settle or cooperate. Samples of blood and tissue were gathered and placed carefully in segregated boxes. Yondu drew blood from an arm with his teeth only to have a green substance injected into his veins making him drowsy.

In the second females of some unknown race took care as they gently warmed them with clean fabrics. It would have been almost comforting if not for the ever present guards, holding the Centaurians with rough restraints. The females kept their gaze on he floor as they dressed the younglings in leathers and placed metal collars flush around their throats. 

All semblance of calm shattered with a sudden shriek and the sickening reek of burning. Yondu snapped out of his haze. Yondu whirled his head round, finding himself free of his captor’s grasp just in time to see one of his playmates with a burning hot rod of metal being pressed between his shoulderblades. “Gerroff him!” he didn’t care if they understood him or not, he just charged forwards. Barreling into the guard with the rod. All around him the others started to fight back. Yondu landed on the guard’s chest and proceeded to scratch and punch at his face, feral noises hissed through his teeth. Despite the guard’s struggles he managed to get his hands round the throat and began to squeeze as hard as he could. Screams echoed off the metal walls and the stench of burnt flesh escalated, only furthering Yondu’s intent, his nails dug into the guard’s neck, shaking the column accompanied by some good hard cracks as their foreheads collided. The guard’s eyes started to roll back into his head but before Yondu could finish the deed he shrieked in agony. The metal rod slamming into his flesh in the same place as the others. 

Yondu rolled as he was kicked off the guard’s chest, his hands instinctively curled behind him as if getting his hands on the burning flesh would somehow soothe the burning.

Everything was a blur to Yondu as they went back to the first room. He vaguely noticed being tied down before tearing his throat raw with angry pained cries as the back of his neck was sliced open and something hard pushed into the wound. Small tools wriggled inside his skin, attaching tiny wires to his neural networks until his eyes snapped open. “Now listen here you disgusting wretches. No more games, you belong to Ronan now. And if you keep making trouble we won’t be so nice any more is that understood?”

The words still sounded wrong, distorted and unfamiliar but for some reason Yondu could understand his captor. He snarled and strained to face the speaker. “Screw you asshole!” But they either didn’t understand him or, more infuriatingly, chose to completely ignore it. A needle pierced his arm and for a while everything went black.

When he finally regained consciousness, Yondu was being carried along by Chandra whose eyes were swollen and wet. “What...” Before he could finish his question she shook her head, Tahlei swaying with the movement.

“They’s not tellin’ us. Don’ scratch it!” Yondu’s hand halted on its way to the itchy patch on the nape of his neck at her warning hiss. “You’ll make it worse, Yondu.” He groaned and took his arm back from around her shoulders, shrugging Chandra’s slim arm away from his waist. He wasn’t a baby, he could walk himself.

Yondu scoffed, pretending to reject her words but he forced himself not to scratch the persistent irritating itch. “Don’ matter none. They’s gonna regret this, I’ll make sure’a it!” he growled quietly to her. “Then I’m gon’ get us home an’ our folks’s gonna get hell for sellin’ us. Y’with me, Chandra?” He scowled a bit at her initial hesitance but when she gave him a determined nod he smirked approvingly. Now he just had to get the rest of them on-board.

The third room was the biggest yet. At least as spacious as six huts, and it was filled with strange people, some of them Yondu wasn’t completely sure were people but they interacted like they were. The guards ushered them to the back of the room where a few adult Centaurians sat. Scarred and blessed with tight powerful muscles. One had a blank, dead looking eye. Another had stitches down the middle of his forehead, stretching back down his neck where his Tahlei should have been.

They watched as the guards escorted the younglings over. “Terdu. Your new recruits. Show them the ropes and teach them how to fucking speak. Ronan wants them ready to join ranks by the time we return to Nova Space.” The lead guard shoved Yondu forward, smirking at his surprised stumble. “This one’s scrappy. Going to be a handful. Make sure you break him in good.”

‘Terdu’ grunted disinterestedly and nodded. “Yes boss.” Seemingly satisfied, the guards turned to march away, glad to be rid of this particular duty. Yondu, snarled after them, glaring at their backs. However before he could give chase, the half blind Centaurian caught his arm and hauled him back. Terdu, tall and menacing even without his Tahlei looked down at the younglings. “Guess ya stuck with us.” Good… real words with clicks and whistles. “I’s tellin ya right now. Yer gonna hate this place. But if ya got the stomach then make yerselves invaluable and you’s gonna make best of it. Don’tchu go makin’ trouble for us or we’ll let the Badoon eatcha. “Terdu smirked and chuckled at the tension apparent in the younglings. “Doubt they’s ever ate Centaurian before.”

Yondu stuck out his chin defiantly. “Why don’tcha feed yerself t’em then?” His head whirled round when the only female adult let out a loud harsh laugh, that sounded like her vocal cords had been shredded by razor wires.

“Boss was right. This’un’s a scrapper, Terdu. He’s gonna keep things fun I bet.” Yondu scowled at her and crossed his arms ready to have it out with her if needs be. She smirked at him, deliberately revealing her sharp craggy teeth.

They were interrupted, however, when Chandra cautiously approached Terdu. “What happened to your Tahlei…?” Terdu looked her up and down, resting his chin on his fist, propped up with the elbow settled against his knee. “Will we lose ours too?”

“Maybe. If you dun’ keep yer noses down and cause trouble the bosses’ll make an example.” He chuckled at her visible gulp. “So be a good li’l girlie and do as I tells ya. Same goes for the rest’a you brats. Yer Centaurians. Y’aint kids no more. Yer gonna fight. Yer gonna kill. And whatever the bosses want’cha t’do yer gonna do it. We’re gonna show ya how this place works but don’t expect no coddling. If ya can’t keep up yer on yer own. We gots our own necks to watch and I’ll be damned if one’a my guys gets fucked cos of any of ya. Understand me?” There were meek nods and gulps all around.

Yondu on the other hand glared defiantly at Terdu who glared back. “You understand, boy? Or should I feed ya t’ the Badoon right now and save us the trouble?” Yondu suppressed a chill at the hard look in his dark red eyes before finally relenting with a nod. “Good. Now settle in, brats. Welcome to yer new home!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Gone back and fixed a number of spelling errors I didn't notice before posting. That's what I get for writing this chapter out on a tablet instead of my laptop *Facepalm*


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still working out the accents, not too easy when I'm not familiar with them and I'm working purely from memory. Ah well, on with the chapter!

Whatever the slop Terdu and his people slid in front of them, it definitely wasn’t food. They grey lumpy pile of mush reeked in a way that turned Yondu’s desperate stomach as he looked at it with a mix of disgust and apprehension. No way was he going to touch this, even though the twisting gurgles from his abdomen were begging Yondu for something, _anything,_ to ease their hunger. Not even when young Kala dove into her bowl with ravenous disregard for her future health and one by one the others followed suit with varying levels of slow distrust. Yondu folded his arms defiantly across his chest, elbowing the boy next to him who tried to urge him to just eat already before he got them in trouble. “Not. Happenin’. Shove it down ya hole if ya want Bhak, but dun blame me if ya keel over dead y’got it?”

A strong hand settled on Yondu’s shoulder, chipped nails dug threateningly into his skin. It took a lot to force himself not to wince because it really hurt. “Somethin’ wrong here?” The raspy gravel of Terdu’s half-blind crony asked Yondu who pointedly looked away in his determination not to answer. The older of the pair snarled in irritation and leaned down to hiss in Yondu’s ear. “Ya better eat up, cos yer gonna need what little strength ya got in those scrawny arms, boy. Terdu says we’re gonna get started after eatin’. Dun go holdin’ out for nothin’ better cos it ain’t never comin’.” he shoved Yondu’s shoulder roughly to release it, the force sending his face slamming into the bowl.

As much as he didn’t want to give that asshole the satisfaction, having the poor excuse for food suddenly touch his lips broke Yondu’s resolve and he winced as the disgusting mush slid down his gullet.

Terdu and the others herded them away from the food hall with only slightly more grace than their captors, who Yondu had now learned were called the Kree. No way was he going to call them the ‘bosses’ like these older Centaurians did. They might have bought him and the rest of the younglings but that didn’t mean he was going to roll over and let them walk all over him. The room they ended up in was dimly lit and all around them there were scattered weapons and pieces of apparatus across the floor which had old dark stains heavily embedded into the metal. Yondu glanced around, noticing half of the ceiling lights were broken. One of them was even sparking.

They were guided to form a circle around Terdu and the half-blind one. “Alright! There’s two main things we’re gonna teach ya.” He held up a finger high above his head. “First yer gonna learn to fight. Forget your pathetic little games from back home, yer gonna get hurt. Yer gonna hurt each other and learn how to survive on the battlefield. The bosses want warriors so yer gonna be brutal, be the beasts ya was taught ta hunt.” He smirked cruelly, turning to face each of the younglings in turn. In his hard dark eyes was danger, a hunger that didn’t have anything to do with food. They held dark promises of pain, suffering and potentially death. But there was another promise hidden in a tiny spark of light which hadn’t yet been snuffed out. Survival. For those of them who didn’t drown in the floods they would get to live. The chance to see the end of their servitude. At least that’s what Yondu saw. Did any of the others see it too? Or were they too distracted by the darkness to see the hidden spark of potential?

“Second! The bosses can’t talk our words.” Terdu snorted derisively. “Their fancy machine dun work on ‘em. So we’s gonna teach ya their words. Just like the fightin’ it’s gonna hurt. Yer throats won’t like it. But yer gonna learn it by the time ya join ranks with the rest’a us.”

At this point the female of Terdu’s group reappeared and tossed armfuls of weapons into the ring. “Grab whatever y’like the look of, kids!” She clapped her hands together sharply, the sound ringing off the metal walls, making several of the younglings wince with the way it hurt their ears. “Do it quick, cos ya got a lot to learn and not a lotta time for teachin’!” Yondu scrambled at her order despite himself, wanting to get a good one before they were all taken. His eyes scanned the cluttered mass of dull chipped hunks of metal. He found what he could only describe as a long arrow with a thick shaft and a brutal barbed head. Without even thinking he grabbed it. Whatever this was it felt lighter in his hands than it looked, despite being longer than he was tall.

The younglings tripped all over one another to try and grab a decent weapon. Yondu stepped back to stay out of their panicked mess of bumping limbs. Eventually they settled back into formation. Standing on edge, watching the adults who were loosening their muscles. Yondu could hear the crackling as shoulders rolled and the sickening cracks coming from stretched necks. “Before we start good ‘n’ proper, me Arku and Dilna’s gonna take ya for a test run. So’s we know what we’re workin’ wit’.” Terdu chuckled, his smirk sharp and wild. “I wantchu t’ come at us with all ya got, all at once! Or if yer too scared we’ll come ta you. Ya got till one to decide, kiddies. Three!”

“Wait! You don’t have weapons!” The high-pitched protest came from one of the boys a year or two younger than Yondu who gripped a sword that was so dented the blade looked like teeth. Arku smirked, his dead eye all the more menacing when coupled with a mouth that had lost many of his teeth, those that remained were chipped and broken into fangs.

He cracked his knuckles as Terdu called out ‘Two!’. “Dun need ‘em. Not like yer gonna put a scratch on us.” Yondu bristled at the way Arku boasted that claim, as if it was an absolute certainty. He heard one of the others gulp next to him, which made Yondu’s shoulders tense and roll back in preparation for what was coming. Terdu’s mouth opened again, sounding the final number, but Yondu never heard it. He knew what it was but for some reason all sound was sucked away.

He let out a warbled war cry and leapt into action, gripping the massive ‘arrow’ tightly in his hands. Yondu’s ears pounded with blood and adrenaline. He thrust the barb at Dilna’s back while she was distracted, throwing two of the younglings with a ferocious howl against the wall. He almost pierced her flank only to have Terdu’s fist smash into his jaw from the side, sending him spinning away from his target.

Yondu hissed with pain and spat out a glob of blood, glaring at Terdu, deciding immediately on his new target. He snarled viciously and charged, the casual unconcerned smirk on Terdu’s face sending his blood boiling. Terdu grabbed the shaft of his weapon and yanked on it, pulling Yondu right into his waiting knee. The young Centaurian coughed and spluttered, eyes wide as all the air was forced up out of his lungs. He felt the sturdy handle of his weapon forcefully twisted out of his grasp before hearing it clatter to the floor.

Really it should have been obvious that despite their superior numbers the younglings stood no chance. The adults were fast and experienced, moving with deadly precision and easy confidence. Yondu did everything he could. Struggling to his feet every time he was smacked down, throwing his gangly limbs sporadically at Terdu, snapping his jaws in attempts to bite at exposed flesh. Every time, though, Terdu would block and knock Yondu to the ground without mercy. His whole body ached. Blood oozed from where his skin had scraped and split open. Terdu stood over him, watching with amusement as he clutched his stomach, rolling onto his front through agonised hisses. His body trembled with pain and exhaustion as he tried to push himself back to his feet.

Yondu was halted by a boot pressing into his lower back forcing him back down. He chuckled and turned his neck, looking around at the groaning younglings, most of whom lay defeated on the floor. Arku held a boy up by his throat, ready to deal a finishing punch while Dilna kicked away a girl who tried to leap at her with the last of her energy. “Alright, that’s enough! I reckon we made our point.” He smirked down at Yondu who rasped and coughed under his foot, leaning down onto one knee. “Not bad for a soft little brat… I’m gonna enjoy seein’ how far ya get, boy.”

“I’m … gonna … kill ya ...” Yondu wheezed hatefully, scowling through his wince as Terdu’s hand clapped the side of his face a little too hard to be friendly but not to hurt him any more than he already was.

“Good. Keep that fire burnin’ boy, yer gonna need it.”


	4. Chapter 4

Without the aid of an orbiting sun it was difficult to map the passage of time. All they had to go on were the allotted blocks of a few hours set aside to allow them to get some sleep. As such it wasn’t long before Yondu completely lost track of how long he had been on board the Kree’s massive ship where the only light came from poorly maintained technology. At least down in the belly of the ship where he and the rest of the slaves were kept out of sight of their high and mighty owners.

Terdu’s training was just as harsh as he promised. They got two pathetic meals a day, the rest of their waking hours were spent in the hall fighting, which also served as the ‘motivation’ for their language lessons. Every time Yondu woke up his whole body was bruised and bloodied, and his throat burned with rawness, making it even harder to eat. Already a few of the younger ones were breaking under the strain. All through the night their cell was filled with the muffled sobs of younglings trying to hide their crying. Chandra had been carried away a few sleeps ago after the bones in her leg were shattered by Arku tripping over her and crushing it beneath his weight. Yondu had yet to get an answer to where she was and if she was coming back.

The Kree guards were always present, roaming around the meal hall. Most of the time they just glared at them with disgust twisting their features. Occasionally though they singled at least one of the slaves out, beating them mercilessly to remind the others to stay in their place.

The trips to the labs were the worst though. Yondu still struggled vehemently every time he was strapped naked to the cold hard slab. Last time they cut off a chunk of his Tahlei without numbing him first. He couldn’t even scream thanks to the thick chunk of leather that had been tied between his lips.

Yondu looked across the hall after slurping up as much of his slop as his throat would let him, he spotted one of the guards talking to Terdu and his two goons. Standing at least a head taller, the guard jabbed a metal stick threateningly against the Centaurian’s chest. With a frown, Yondu strained his ears to try and hear what was being said. Unfortunately they were too far away. He tensed when Terdu grabbed the stick with a hard humourless smirk and responded. Probably with the easy casual mockery only he seemed to get away with … Yondu was starting to think he must be a favourite of someone that held rank. Somehow.

The guard spat at Terdu’s feet, tore his stick back out of the offending grip and stormed away, past where the younglings sat. He hissed at them as he strode by “Play time’s over, you can’t hide behind Terdu any more.” Yondu frowned, eyes narrowing a bit at those words. He wasn’t the only one who wondered at them either, worried glances and murmurings rippled across the group in response. It was cut short though when Terdu approached them.

Although he maintained his cool, arrogant demeanour Yondu spotted a tension in his broad shoulders. There was a twitch at the corner of thin lips. “Alright brats, finish up ‘n’ follow me! On the double!” Terdu clapped his hands together sharply, deliberately ignoring any questions that were sent his way. He aimed a kick at Yondu when he didn’t move fast enough, catching him on the calf.

With Arku and Dilna bringing up the rear, the younglings were led through unfamiliar corridors, climbing higher from the bowels of the ship. Suddenly finding himself exposed to brighter more consistent light, Yondu winced, his eyes aching. He started to fall behind as he tried to rub the ache away. A hand pushed against the middle of his back. “Keep up, kid.” Dilna snapped half heartedly as she forced him to continue moving forward.

Something in the tension surrounding all three of the adults kept him from retaliating as he normally would. It was all wrong, well, more wrong than before.

Yondu swallowed thickly as he saw the cages. Small, cold cases of criss-crossed steel, and not all of them were empty. Snarls, hisses and rattling echoed around them, creatures from all over the galaxy locked into the cages regardless of whether they were too small or not. Hundreds of eyes leered hungrily at the younglings as Terdu separated them into their own cages. “This ain’t no trainin’ room. Ain’t no more rules. Ya got only two options now. Survive, or don’t.” Terdu snapped the last lock shut then forced out a chuckle but couldn’t hide the lack of humour in it.”If you don’t survive, then fuck over the asshole taking you down!” Terdu rattled the bar of Yondu’s cage, locking eyes with him. “You fuck ‘em up dead good for me, boy.” 

With that the cages started to rise and Terdu strode away, towards a stranger who waited in the doorway. A Kree? Well dressed with a scowl of distaste twisting his aristocratic features. He ran a finger down the scar that knotted down where Terdu’s proud Tahlei should have sat. Yondu saw Terdu tense and shudder before letting himself be led by a hand resting at the nape of his neck. 

Yondu’s cage continued its ascent into pitch darkness, something like air blasted passed, chilling his already cold body. Clutching at his arms he rubbed furiously, irritating the tender flesh in his attempts to warm up. Suddenly Yondu’s eyes were accosted with harsh artificial light. Instinctively his arms shot up to shield them with a hiss. Slowly though, Yondu started to adjust. Every blink lessened the pain and brought just a little more clarity. A myriad of voices rung in his ear, buzzing all around him. Where was this…?

_You fuck ‘em up dead good for me, boy._

The phantom of those words made Yondu tense and drop his arms. He was in an artificial pit, facing another cage containing a scrawny pale green creature, all limbs scales and sharp needle teeth. The voices were coming from above but Yondu was more focussed on the other captive.

_Ya got only two options now. Survive, or don’t._

Yondu couldn’t hold back the humourless smirk. Kill or be killed, just like Terdu’d promised. “Centaurian Number 6259! Versus Badoon Number 10834!” At the unseen announcer’s call their cage locks clicked and the doors swung open. Yondu’s breath caught in his throat as the Badoon stalked out of its cage, hunched and intense. Dark eyes trained unblinkingly on Yondu, drool dripping from its fangs.

Rolling his shoulders back, Yondu shook the crest atop his head threateningly, baring his own teeth as he stepped out of the cage. His heart pounded against bone, blood pumping hot and fast through his veins. The walls of the pit were completely smooth and covered in slick oil. The only way he was getting out of here was through his opponent. There was nowhere to run. “C’mon then…!” Yonu hissed through his teeth. “Come get me!” 

The pair roared, each attempting to unsettle the other before they charged. The Badoon stretched out his neck, jaws wide to clamp down on any choice hunk of exposed flesh. Yondu grit his teeth together and ducked under the taller gangly beast’s attack, smashing upwards with his fist. The force of the closure shattered teeth and sent painful jolts shooting through its body. With a howl it staggered backwards, long gangly limbs lashed out catching Yondu’s face when he didn’t get out of the way him time.

Yondu winced as he tentatively touched the open wound. The gashes were deep, his blood seeping thickly from them. That split second was all the Badoon needed to recover. It leapt onto Yondu from the side, sending them both into a heavy roll across the pit floor. Yondu shoved his hand against the Badoon’s face, struggling to keep those slobbering snapping jaws at bay while his feet and other hand flail for purchase.

His nails scraped uselessly across the hard scales, feet doing little to halt their bodies or disengage them. Yondu cried out as his opponents claws left another set of gashes on his cheek vertically crossing over the first. Face burning with throbbing aches, Yondu grabbed and pulled on he Badoon’s ear. It yowled and hissed only to be abruptly silenced by the crack when the Centaurian’s skull slams against its scaly forehead.

Yondu winced, his head throbbing, he hooked his legs around the other’s waist and twisted with all his strength to pin his opponent beneath him. The Badoon writhed and hissed, nearly dislodging him but Yondu squeezed harder with his thighs and started pounding wildly with his fists. The pounding in his head was blinding, almost as often as his fists met scaled flesh they clanged against the floor, splitting Yondu’s already bruised knuckles.

The Badoon wasn’t going down easily though. It gored Yondu’s flank, too close to his heart for comfort, and with the distraction from that it sank what was left of its fangs deep into his arm. Yondu let loose a blood curdling yell and grabbed his opponents face, thumb jammed up its nostril. “Let. GO!!” Yondu roared, adrenaline pulsing through his veins as he forced the jaws apart.

A sickening crack vibrated through Yondu’s arm right as the Badoon’s nose gave way under his thumb. It shrieked, spraying Yondu’s face with spit and blood. He felt bile rising in his throat, barely registering what he was doing as he grabbed his opponent’s neck and began cracking the skull against the floor.

Yondu felt himself being hauled off long after the Badoon stopped moving. He was thrown back into the cage as someone from outside the pit called out words that didn’t make it through the pounding in his ears. His body shook and the guard locked him in. Yondu groaned, his stomach and head churning with nausea now that the adrenaline was starting to recede. He didn’t even notice he was back in the room below until a shadow loomed over him.

“Looks like ya survived kid.” Terdu slid down the bars to sit down outside the cage, wincing as his rear met the floor. The younger Centaurian spotted bruises beginning to form on his neck. “Now we jes’ gotta wait’n see if the others make it back too.”

Yondu glared at him, he had no idea why Terdu was so hurt but the fact he was just made him angrier. This vulnerability felt like an insult after everything he and the others had suffered under Terdu and his crew’s brutal teaching. After he’d promised to kill the bastard one day… His scowl only deepened when Terdu chuckled tiredly. “Still got that fire after all that? Nurse it, feed it. It’ll keep ya alive, boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, I forgot how hard it is to write fight scenes ... as always I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I appreciate all forms of feedback. Especially anything that you think could be improved! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have to apologise, this chapter proved quite difficult to write for some reason so it's up a lot later than I would have liked. I'd like to thank everyone for following thus far and hopefully this is me back to a quicker upload schedule from now on!

Until this point being on the ship had been less than pleasant, but there had been a disconnect. Almost like it wasn’t truly real and eventually Yondu would wake up back home in his hut. Where his parents actually cared about him and his days would be spent wrestling and chasing with Chandra and the others in the warm jungle.

Little by little over the following hours those fragile hopes shattered one by one. Terdu had passed out against Yondu’s cage, reeking of sweat and something sickly so he didn’t even have him for a distraction. The cages returned one by one, clanging harshly against the floor. Yondu watched them all from where he sat slumped, dazed and in agony against the cold bars. An ominous chill crawled up his spine at the first which was completely empty apart from a streak of blood at the cage door. Honestly he almost would have preferred if they were all like that.

Yondu’s stomach coiled and knotted as he saw a limp arm hanging out from the next cage. “Hey! Folmu!” He called out when he spotted a tiny twitch in the fingers, clinging to that spark of life desperately. Even when the ghost of a weak, rattled breath floated to Yondu’s ears marking the end of the faint twitches, he clung, hauling himself shaking to his feet by the bars of his cage, shouting the other youngling’s name with rising frustration. _Just answer me!_ The gaping hole in Folmu’s stomach and his mangled face silenced Yondu’s last call. It died in his throat, leaving behind only a wet gurgling moan of grief.

The screams were the worst. Echoing all around, bouncing off the metal walls, amplifying the sounds to intolerable levels as wounded combatants thrashed in agony. Pain and grief from extensive wounds and the motionless bodies of friends they had known all their lives. Yondu clamped his bloodied hands over his ears but couldn’t block out their cries.

He didn’t even notice Terdu had regained consciousness until a hand settled on top of his shoulder. “Take those hands off ya ears boy.” In response Yondu pushed them harder against his skull, the pressure making his head ache as he shook it in defiance. Terdu grabbed his wrist roughly and pulled the hand away, allowing the full force of the noise to rush in again. “Listen to ‘em!” He snarled, Yondu froze when he realised Terdu’s hand was trembling. Cautiously he raised his gaze to meet the hard, furious eyes of the older Centaurian.

“Listen to ‘em and dont’chu ever forget that sound, boy!”

The hiss in the order made Yondu flinch, too shaken to force it down. “Let _go_ , Terdu! I don’t wanna hear!”

Terdu’s jaw locked, lips drawing back to bare his craggy teeth and sharply yanked on Yondu’s arm, pulling him flush against the bars of the cage. “Well yer _gonna_ hear it! Again and again, every time they take ya into the pits. Then yer gonna hear it more when the bosses send ya out to fight planet-side. And, boy, ya best keep the sounds close. Hear its echoes every day. ‘Cause if ya don’t, then they meant _nothin’_ and ya leave yerself open to be broke. You want that, boy?! You want’em to break ya?!” Terdu shook Yondu’s arm with passionate anger before throwing it back into the cage, his body heaving with each panting breath. He pointed an accusing finger at Yondu who had scrambled to the other side of his cage, watching the man with wet eyes but never once did a tear break free.

“Like … they broke you?” Terdu was the one who froze then, arm falling limp to his side. A tendon visibly twitched beneath his cheek. Without answering he turned sharply on his heel and limped out of the room.

Over thirty young Centaurians had been sold into Slavery by their parents. By the time they were deemed worthy to ascend back out of the fighting pits only six had survived. Of those six, only four were still of able body.

Yondu’s sense of time by this point was completely non-existent. He knew he’d grown. He was taller, broader and his Tahlei crest was thicker – standing prouder than it ever had before all this. Other than that he no longer knew how old he was, only that his instincts were more honed and he had finally grown into his lanky limbs, filling them out with tight thick muscles.

In some grand gesture that he was sure he was supposed to appreciate as some sort of rite of passage for surviving the pits, Yondu and the other survivors had been presented at long last in front of the Kree and gifted with uniform sets of armoured leathers. If it wasn’t for the electrified cuffs and collars Yondu might have used the opportunity to tear the bastard’s throat out. As it was they were stripped in front of a group of generals and other officials who eyed them with varying levels of disdain or perhaps more worryingly some unknown intense interest that Yondu couldn’t comprehend. He was just glad when the guards dressed them again in the new gear.

The only real comfort was the fact that Chandra had also survived and was right there next to him.

“I guess this means they’s gonna send us planet-side soon… whatever that means.” She mused pensively once the Centaurians were locked up in their new room, much smaller but thankfully silent of the echoes of their absent companions. Staring up at the ceiling as her slim fingers played with a dangling piece of jewellery in her ear. A relic from home she’d somehow managed to keep through all this.

Yondu snorted, scratching at a healing scab on his neck. The wound under it would probably leave quite an impressive scar he could add to his growing collection. “Probably.” He hissed in protest when she slapped the hand with a glare to get him to stop scratching. “I bet it just means bigger fights. Ones they’s got actual stakes in.” he paused and glanced at her. She’d grown too. Used to be a thin willowy little thing. Her hips and legs had rounded out, looking at her now he had to wonder just how close they were to adulthood. Maybe they’d even somehow reached it and he had no way of noticing. “How come you still wear that damn thing? Turns my fuckin’ stomach.”

Chandra rolled her eyes. “I wear it ‘cause it’s mine Yondu. Only thing that really is. So what if it came from home? It belongs t’me, and I’ll keep it if I want.”

He guessed he couldn’t fault that logic. At least it wasn’t because of a flawed sense of sentiment. Instead he chose to correct her on the actual fallacy in her words. “Centauri IV ain’t home, Chand, it never was.” He smirked and a throaty humourless chuckle vibrated through his hoarse throat. “We don’t have a home.” If Centauri IV hadn’t been home then this forsaken ship definitely wasn’t. “And we was never wanted.”

“You don’t know that!” Her foot connected sharply with Yondu’s knee, eliciting a surprised yelp thanks to the amount of force she had put into that reprimand. He clutched the assaulted joint with one hand while the other lashed out to backhand her shoulder. “They might not’ve had a choice ya know? Did ya ever think of that?”

Yondu clicked his tongue dismissively. “Not like it’d matter. So what if they didn’t wanna? Fact is they let it happen. They didn’t fight for us. They own damn _kids_.” This time he managed to roll out of the way of Chandra’s fist. He’d hit a nerve, the fact she missed so sloppily was proof of that. He was about to drive the knife in further, to make sure his point really hit home but stopped half-way through opening his mouth.

She was hugging her knees tightly, chin resting against chapped wrists. Chandra had stopped the trembling too many sleeps ago to count, and so had he but the vulnerability in her eyes made her look so young that Yondu could see the ghost of a sobbing child in there. He sighed and slid across the floor so they could sit side by side. “D’you remember what’chu said that one time? That we’d make the Kree regret this and we’d get outta here?”

Vaguely he did. How long ago had that been? Yondu hadn’t even had time to think about getting out since they first got thrown to the pits, it took everything he had just to survive. Just to stop his mind from shattering like poor Orkos’ had. The boy had been hauled away in a drivelling rabid mess. They hadn’t seen him since. He nodded with a grunt of affirmation. He couldn’t remember what the words were but he knew he’d said them.

“Did ya mean ‘em?” Of course he had. And he still did. Yondu had no idea how they’d do it but they were survivors. If any of them could it’d be them right? “Good … I don’t like how they was lookin’ at us. Didn’t feel right.” Chandra took a deep breath and tilted her head to look at him. That damned earring settled all daintily across her cheek as she did. “What I’m sayin’ is… I’m still wit’cha.”

Yondu chuckled and shook his head with a playful scoff. He flicked the earring away from her cheek. “I already knew that, Chand. Even if ya weren’t I’d drag ya wit’ me kickin’ an’ screamin’.”

They shared a laugh, the first genuine one in who knew how long? The musical whistling sounds bounced tinnily around the room. Almost like they could pretend it was some big elaborate game two best friends had made up while playing in the jungle and the end was in sight.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

It had been so long since Yondu had stood in a real atmosphere, one that wasn’t produced and regulated by myriads of machines, that he rasped and coughed. The air on this collection of brown and grey rocks definitely wasn’t clean, grit clung to his nostrils and throat almost making him gag. Twin moons shone mournfully down on them through clouds of dust and smog, bathing them in cold faint light as Terdu strode back and forth in front of the formation.

Their mission was simple. Yondu and the other slaves that surrounded him were the first strike. Cause as much chaos as possible and cut a path for the main force. Kill as many locals who stood in their way as possible. He gripped the ancient blaster he’d been given, they were expendable. That much was obvious. Didn’t mean he had any plans to die today though.

Terdu finally stopped his pacing and fixed them all with a hard stare. He raised a clenched fist and let loose a warbling war cry. All around him the roar was echoed, feet stamped and bloodlust filled the air. As much as he didn’t want to admit it Yondu could feel his own blood pounding fast through his veins. He threw his head back and shook his Tahlei, his throat vibrating with an invigorated bugle.

Beside him he heard his fellow Centaurians do the same, felt the brush of their Tahleis against his own. It sparked through his nerves as the cloaking field dropped signalling the charge. Yondu’s feet moved of their own accord, light but sure against the loose gravel.

Yondu felt rather than heard the alarm ringing in his ear drums as he shot at a guardsman. Lights sprung to life from the near featureless buildings, only making it easier for him to see the shapes of running natives. He leapt nimbly, using the sheer walls as he would the trees back on Centauri IV to gain height. The grim peace of the night was shattered by cries of terror and pain.

Hot searing pain shot through Yondu’s thigh, burning through his leathers. The next thing he knew his back bounced off the ground and a figure loomed over him, foot raised. Before his attacker could bring it down Yondu grabbed them by the ankle and yanked, rolling his body for extra leverage. The enemy’s head cracked against the wall and they crumpled limply to the gravel.

Several of the other Kree slaves barrelled past and from the sickening crunch of bone Yondu figured whoever that was wouldn’t be getting back up again.

What must have been years now of pent up anger and hatred finally had an outlet. Yondu let loose another bugle as he surged to join the rest of the force, ignoring the throbbing in his thigh. Vaguely in the distance he could hear the familiar bugle of Chandra answering his own. He smirked proudly, assured that both of them would survive this night.

He skidded around a corner only to stumble as someone pounced past, catching Yondu’s shoulder with a sharp knee as they did. He snarled and whirled round to face this new enemy, blaster raised to shoot only to freeze. This was no attacker he faced. A tall hairy creature stared at him, all skin and bony limb, probably younger than Yondu guessed he currently was.

There was no fear in the boy’s gaze, only hard determination forged from years of hardship. He clutched two squirming, hissing animals against his thin chest, ignoring the way their claws raked against his skin. Using Yondu’s hesitation to his advantage the boy sprung to his feet, his free hand clutching a rusted knife for self defence.

“You’s going the wrong way, just the Wulver pits down there.” He pointed down another alley with his knife hand. “Tha’s the way to go if’n you wanna cause damage.”

“Kraglin! Get a move on before we leave you and your damn pets behind you dumb fuck!” Yondu craned his neck, another scrawny kid in rags had called to this one from the roof. Before he could question the kid as to why he was helping him ‘Kraglin’ had disappeared into the shadows, his hissing cargo and all. Yondu growled in confusion but something told him that following the boy’s advice was probably a good idea so he changed direction and bolted down the alley.

As expected a number of the team never made it back onto the ship, but whoever was in charge seemed to be pleased with the results because instead of being escorted back to their cells after the guards took back their weapons Yondu and the others were led to the mess hall. Scantily clad females of various races moved about the room handing out mugs of some kind of steaming alcohol. Yondu was only too glad to take one of them and drink deeply from it.

His head was throbbing, the adrenaline and bloodlust quickly drowned by a dizzying and sudden crash in his system. Vaguely he wondered if it had anything to do with the pills that got forced down his throat before they went Planetside. Yondu’s pondering was cut short however with the arrival of a guffawing Terdu, sporting a fresh gash across his chest rather proudly. “I knew ya wouldn’t let us down, boy!” He clanged their mugs together and chugged at least half of it down in one go before slouching into the chair across from Yondu. “Tell me, how’d yer first real battle feel?  
  
Yondu snorted, smirking at the older Centaurian, he couldn’t deny it’d been a thrill at the time. “Had a rougher time in the Pits.” He drank from his mug, letting the mellow overly sweet liquid dull the ache in his thigh and wash away his dizziness. “Looks like yer losin’ yer touch though, I reckon I could take ya down now without much trouble.”

Terdu just laughed throatily. “Boy, I’d sure love seein’ you _try._ Oi! Arku! Boy here thinks he’s all man now!” Yondu snarled in response, hackles rising at the jab even as Arku roared with laughter and slapped him on the shoulder hard enough to sting. “Well good, ‘cause we’s got a special little treat fer you tonight.” Terdu jerked his head towards the sleeping quarters. “Reckon yer old enough fer it.” Yondu squinted at him distrustfully. He didn’t like how the formerly jovial tone was now slightly clipped and the look in Terdu’s eyes hardened a little. “Drink up, boy, meet us through there in a couple hours.”

Yondu rolled his eyes at Terdu’s retreating back and grabbed a refill, chugging it down to ignore the growing unease knotting in his stomach.

It turned out he wasn’t the only one who’d received the invitation. Chandra was already there by the time Yondu sauntered through and folded his arms across his chest. “So what’s this big surprise?” He asked, looking at Terdu warily. All pretence of good humour had left his face. He sat between Arku and Dilna, scratching at his chin as he looked over Yondu and Chandra as if appraising them.

“By our reckonin’ yer both adults now or near enough. And I been noticin’ some eyes wand’ring over ya both.” Yondu tensed at that, the knot coiling in his stomach returned full force. “Some’a the Bosses are takin’ notice too.”

Chandra didn’t like the sound of that any more than he did, it was easy to see in the way her fingers dug into her palms. “What’s that gonna mean?” She ventured cautiously, almost as if she knew she wouldn’t like the answer but wanted to hear it now instead of dragging this out any longer than they needed to.

Terdu smirked humourlessly. “I always liked you two. Got burnin’ hot fires in yer bellies. So I ain’t gonna insult ya with pretty words. Once yer old enough yer fair game ta anyone on this ship lookin’ fer some release. We’s kept ‘em at bay ‘till now but them days is over. Bein’ given new recruits ta train so we can’t stop anyone lookin’ ta drag ya into their beds no more.” Yondu felt his blood freeze, sure he could probably beat on most that would try but even he knew there were some people he physically wouldn’t be able to stop. Especially if it was a Kree who could activate his shock collar any time they wanted.

Beside him Chandra visibly recoiled at the revelation. The others were a few years younger then they were so they were still safe, according to Terdu’s words at least. “Hey, now, that’s why we’s brought ya through here girlie. Told ya we’s got a treat, one what’ll soften the blow, so dont’chu go sayin’ Terdu never did nothin’ for ya.” Even Terdu didn’t seem too convinced by what he was saying though as he chuckled a long plastic object into Chandra’s hands.

“Was a time when one of us’d take the first turn. Ease ya into it real soft like. I been claimed now though.” Despite his head reeling with all this new information Yondu noticed the scowl tugging on the older Centaurian’s thin lips, and he had a flash back to his first trip to the pits. Seeing Terdu pathetic and exhausted after coming back from wherever that Kree had taken him. “Arku don’t got the restraint for it no more and well, Dilna’s developed some ‘problems’ down below. So you two’s gonna need ta do it fer each other, got it?” Terdu nodded to the thing he’d tossed to Chandra. “Use that. Loosen up every hole ya both got.”

Yondu’s body shook, feeling bile rise in his throat. “Yer _jokin’_!” He glanced at Chandra who was frozen in place, staring at the object with horror. There was no way they could do this. His protests died in his throat though when Terdu rose from his seat, somehow looking so tall and imposing even without his Tahlei.

“I ain’t. And yer gonna do it ‘cause if ya don’t someone else’s gonna and it ain’t gonna be anywhere near as nice, ya understand me boy?” He scowled and looked away. “Ye’ve got use of my room. I’s bein’ moved so ain’t gonna need it no more.” He waved his hand and Yondu felt himself struggling against Arku’s vice tight grip as he was carried to the door. Somewhere behind him he heard Chandra’s startled cry, presumably Dilna had got her.

This was all wrong. No way … it was just another bad dream. Except he knew it wasn’t, the clang of the door being locked behind them was enough to clarify that.

Sex was just for making Pouchlings. It was only to happen between mates. Chandra wasn’t his to lay with and he wasn’t hers. Even as he thought that something small whispered through his mind. _Isn’t this still better though? You trust each other, you won’t hurt her. Who knows what’ll happen if Chandra’s made to lay with someone else? At least … it might not be as bad if you lay together. Just this once._

Yondu chanced a look over at his friend who was standing in the corner, eyeing him warily. Not out of fear though. He felt his resolve start to crumble at the way she bit her lower lip. Both somehow knowing, they were having the exact same conversation inside their own heads.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kraglin's first appearance! He will be back. Also I want to give fair warning. A chapter or two after the next one will get pretty heavy with some of the subject matter. Just in case it will be a problem for anyone i'll be adding tags when the time comes and warn you the chapter before it starts because I don't want to upset anyone.
> 
> As always any and all feedback is appreciated, and i hope you enjoyed the chapter my lovelies!


End file.
